The Fellowship of Twelve
by Darev
Summary: A brief oneshot inspired by a scene from LOTR. Prince Sky leads a band of misfits toward the Under Realm where they must fight the evil Lord Darkar.


**Darev:** I have so many concept ideas for Winx Club. This here's just another one shot to satisfy my insatiable need to write until I come up with an established plot for a story. The inspiration: slight Lord of the Rings; the scene where the Fellowship is walking along and when the camera pans on each of them. It's told entirely through Sky's point of view as we get insight into the terrible mission they are on. Reviews are appreciated, my friends.

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Prince Sky took a moment to catch his breath. The climb had been difficult enough without the monsters to hound and impede their progress. That the group managed hold their own against the worst the denizens this unholy place managed to throw at them was testament to their individual fighting abilities. Still the prince held no such illusions—they were no team. Fighting as individuals had nearly cost them their lives. Some of them managed to work together while others preferred to stand alone. The latter made trouble for the former while the former's constant berating turned the latter more hostile. It was this sort of friction that would be the end of them, the prince knew.

Before him the skeletal peaks of the Dragonmaw Mountains stretched on as far as the eye could see. Sky wondered if there would ever be an end to this mad quest. Already he longed for the verdant hills and rushing streams of Eraklyon. He always craved adventure growing up as a boy in the palace and would spend his free hours roaming the lush forests of the realm. How he dreamed of seeing the world beyond his kingdom, but now he wanted nothing more than to go home.

But Sky had made a vow to carry out this mission even at the cost of his own life and if in doing so he could save the lives of his people and all those who cherished freedom then it was a price he would gladly pay. He just wished his comrades shared his sense of duty.

It was a hastily-formed crew—a mix of good and bad. Sky respected their individual talents though he wished for a sense of cohesion. It seemed the further they went along, the further apart they grew. Granted their trials had been trying and even he had lost his cool at some points, but he never lost sight of what they were trying to accomplish. They had to reach Shadow Haunt, the fortress of Lord Darkar, the Black Phoenix, and put an end to his plans of world domination. His legions were numerous, incalculable; ready to kill and slaughter in his name. The more Sky thought about their chances at victory the more he'd lose hope, which is why he tried not to think about it. If they were to have any chance at victory then they must destroy the Codex, the ancient artifact which provided Darkar with limitless power and the means by which to control and arm his army.

That meant traversing some of the most gods-forsaken land in all of Magix, fighting off hordes of demons, surviving the natural traps that awaited them at every turn, trying not to kill each other, and remember that they were being watched at all times.

The air was putrid. Sky covered his nose as he took in their surroundings. A veil of mist blanketed the sky and how he wished he could see just one star. The prince could use it to navigate. He was not sure they were moving in the right direction. They could be lost for all he knew. This team was counting him, even if they would not admit it, to lead them to Shadow Haunt. He could not let them down for to do so would be to let down everyone else. Only a handful knew of their mission yet countless innocents were depending on its outcome.

They were searching for a cave that would lead them into the Under Realm, a horrid kingdom beneath the earth where they would find a path leading them to Shadow Haunt. Now if only their guide was anything but uncooperative they might have found that entrance a long time ago. As it stood, they were wasting time and that was one thing they could not afford to do.

Travel had taken its toll on his band of twelve. Looking back on them, he could see the less physically fit ones dragging slowly behind the others. Some of them were magic-users though they had nearly exhausted their supply fighting, healing, divining, flying, scrying, teleporting, or just plain showing off. Sky had no problem with magic so long as it was used to help others. He knew their success depended as much on those who could wield the Art as much as those who could wield the sword, staff, dagger, or bow. There was much tension between some of their members because of magic. Some of them came from realms where wielders of the Art dominated those who could not. Others were from places where witches, wizards, and sorcerers had been hunted down to near extinction. Needless to say there was some very bad blood.

One by one, the prince studied them, trying to discern which ones would be the most trouble in the trials to come.

First and always on his mind was the fairy, Bloom. Like everyone else, Prince Sky believed that fairies were extinct. They were said to have been wiped out in the great Witch Invasion over a hundred years ago in which their homeland, Alfea, had been utterly destroyed by the Ancient Coven. It was a terrible disaster. Fairies were among the purest and most noble beings in Magix. They were guardians, protectors, wish-granters, and just all around nice. When the last fairy was slaughtered the chroniclers state that the clouds rained for days on end in mourning for their loss. Truly a tragedy such as this had not been seen since the mythical city of Sparx was swallowed up by the sea.

Bloom and Sky had first met as enemies when she tried to steal a map from the royal treasury of the palace. A harrowing chase brought them face to face where they were forced to join forces after being attacked by Lord Darkar's fierce warrior-lieutenant, Kerbog. Now they were allies; hesitant but united in purpose. She had the most amazing pair of bright, blue eyes he had ever seen. Clad in a long dark cloak that covered her from head to toe, her feet seemed to glide over the earth, not even churning the loose gravel among the rocks.

Behind her was someone he had grown very close to over the past few days. Shouldering his heavy broadsword which he had slung over his back, Brandon came trudging up the decline with long strides. A young knight of Eraklyon, he and the prince met by chance while he was chasing Bloom through the underground caves beneath the palace and into the forest beyond. Together they had fought a legendary beast and subdued a tribe of trolls that threatened to overwhelm their fellows during an ambush. Brandon was the only one of his countrymen to join Sky on his quest to defeat Lord Darkar. He was a welcomed sword and an even better friend.

Unfortunately Sky had very little to say positively about the next two in line. The first he had come to know as a major thorn in his side. His handsome face and violet eyes harbored a darkness that few could understand but many came to fear. His name was Riven and he was a thief. Fast, agile, acrobatic and deadly with those short blades of his, Riven was no slouch in combat. His unorthodox fighting style ran rings around Sky during their duel. They were pretty much even though Sky had to admit that they were both holding back. Despite his violent tendencies, Sky sensed that Riven was not evil, only troubled. Still, his attitude, bravado and downright disrespect for authority had put him at odds with the prince since they started. He only hoped that this journey would somehow help Riven come to terms with his inner demons. At least he would be able to put his frustrations to use and kill monsters.

Because they did not get along, and because no one else would watch her, Sky had Riven escorting a dark-skinned beauty that seemed to hate men as much as she despised magic users. Aisha, a tribal princess from one of the numerous island kingdoms off the coast, was a fierce warrior. The only thing sharper than her sword was her tongue, which she used to lash at anyone, particularly males, at any chance she got. She was very resourceful, Sky noted. Definitely tougher than most knights, that was for sure. She was one of the few people to have entered the Under Realm and come back alive. That alone earned his respect. What's more, she agreed to guide them through the tunnels so long as she was allowed to take her revenge on Darkar for killing her friends. Right now the prince was willing to promise anything. While he did not approve of vengeance, that she had intimate knowledge of where they were going made her an invaluable asset.

Riven and Aisha argued almost every chance they got. One was a chauvinist, the other a feminist. It made for some entertaining rants at the best of times and was aggravating in the worst. He just hoped they did not kill one another before they reached the caves. Pains though they were, Sky could not deny their exceptional fighting skills.

Behind them trailed an attractive young woman with oval eyes and long, dark hair. Musa. She was a songstress from the Harmonic Realm. Her kind was able to harness sound and music as a form of magic. She could soothe the savage beast. Strike fear in the hearts of her enemies. Give courage to her allies. Even use persuasion to make people do whatever she wanted. Of course only the most despicable Harmonizers used the last one. Musa was not one to abuse her gifts and Sky found her upbeat attitude and carefree lifestyle to be a welcomed edition to the group. What really got his goat was how she seemed infatuated with Riven. The two were nothing alike. He was a loner who cared nothing for the woes of the world. She loved helping people through song and dance. Maybe it had to do with opposites, but Sky felt it was more a fascination than anything else. He sensed that the feelings were likewise though Riven was better at hiding them.

A latecomer to their band, Nabu was a wizard. Charismatic and devilishly handsome, the skilled mage gave Musa a challenge when it came to always looking on the bright side. Highly athletic, he proved capable of keeping up with the warriors in the thick of battle, able to use his staff as skillfully as Sky or Brandon did a sword. He was also a man of many tricks. Nabu preferred to use his mind to outwit his opponents rather than by magical or brute force. Still, Sky recalled how dangerous he could be in the thick of a fight. He was well on his way on becoming one of the strongest wizards in the realms. The only thing was that no one knew just where he stood. He was a mystery and had a knack for avoiding conversations that delved into his past. Sky was happy he came along, but wasn't too sure on where to place him.

There was hardly room for flirtation in this journey, but the next two made it seem like they were on some sort of vacation. Helia was an artist and he seemed very out of place among this strange band. What few knew, however, was that he was able to manipulate his magic to make his paintings come to life. Whatever he drew, illustrated, or painted, could manifest itself into the real world so long as it was within his power; which was considerable. Helia came from a realm of warrior-mages. A pacifist at heart, he despised conflict and left his family to pursue a life of art. He came upon them by mere chance. It was his impressive abilities that saved the team when they were cornered by the Trix, a trio of deadly witch sisters, down a raging river. Were it not for him, chances are they'd be dead or worse.

Since he joined them he had eyes for only one girl: Flora. While not as dark as Aisha, Flora was a stunning tanned beauty with long brown hair. She was a priestess who used her magic to control nature. Commune it would be a better term as she believed plants and trees were holy and should never be manipulated. Like Helia, she despised violence in all its forms, particularly when it was used to harm forests. Flora's ire was nothing short of terrifying. When she unleashed the full force of nature on her enemies, even the most powerful opponents quaked in fear. Her silent beauty beheld a terrible rage the likes of which few could scarcely imagine and fewer still can hope to weather. She seemed to have taken an interest in Helia. They were almost always seen walking together.

Sky guessed it was true. Love can bloom anywhere.

How fortunate they had a technomage among them. Tecna hailed from the technology-based city of Zenith where the inhabitants had learned to use science as a form of magic. While her skills may have seemed out of place out in the wilderness, with the way technology was going, almost everyone used it in some way so Tecna was able to turn their vehicles, weapons, communications, and other devices against them. Her tek, as it was called, had saved them on more than one occasion. Sky recalled how she pulled his dying aircraft out of a fatal nosedive with a wave of her hand before placing him gently onto the earth. That save proved she was both formidable and reliable. He'd have to have been a fool not to ask her to accompany him to Shadow Haunt. To his surprise, she easily agreed. Turns out she sought a rare form of crystal that can boost her powers tenfold that grows only in the Under Realm.

Seemingly in her shadow was Timmy, a brilliant young mechanist. Shy and with little self confidence, one would never know the brilliance that lied within. He was a kind young man with a lot to prove to himself and to others. What he lacked in combat skills he more than made up for in his knowledge of machines. He could build practically anything from any source of metal, tin, or steel. That meant his skills coincided beautifully with Tecna's as they both shared an insatiable love for technology. Where as hers lied in computers, he was a mechanical genius. He was also a talented strategist and tactician. Sky was impressed with his knowledge of military tactics and strategy. Seems the more he came to know the reclusive youth the more he came to respect and admire him.

A curse came up from the end of the line. Bringing up the rear was none of than Princess Stella of Solaria. A talented sorceress in her own right, Stella was known more among them for her temper tantrums, ceaseless whining, and incredible pampering. She complained just about everything from where they chose to camp to even what they decided to wear. Her taste in clothing was unrivaled, as her realm was the fashion capital of the world. Still, what bothered him the most about her was her self-centered view of the world. Princess or not, Stella seemed to think that her opinion was the only one that mattered. She judged everyone on how they carried themselves, how they spoke, fought, dressed, and even ate. It was enough that half the team wanted to leave her behind in the Dark Forest. Only Sky could see how useful Stella was. She was a skilled politician, using her upbringing and diplomatic skills to get them past many a disputed border and even cheap room and board. Her magic was pretty strong too. In addition, she seemed to be the only one who truly got along with Bloom.

The Fellowship of Twelve. These were the world's last hope of defeating Lord Darkar and restoring peace to the realms. Too bad they were off to a bad start. As if things were not bad enough, they were constantly harassed by the forces of darkness. Their most dangerous enemies were the Trix. These witches have hounded them since their journey first began and they commanded a small army of followers. It seemed wherever they went the Trix were just one step ahead of them. It was because of them they had to take this dangerous shortcut through the Dragonmaw Mountains in the first place. Sky casually dreamed about putting them down. While he did not like to kill unless he had to, the prince realized that he may very well have to put those girls down for good if they were to have any chance at victory.

He thought he saw something in the distance. Looking back, Sky saw flashes of light—thunder? Or something worse?

"We'd better find cover," he said to his fellows down below. He had taken point to get a better lay of the land but now that he saw how exposed they were he knew they'd be sitting pixies if they remained out here in the open. "I think I see some caves off in this direction. Let's pick up the pace. We should be able to reach them before nightfall."'

Not that he could tell it was night. This whole region was covered in a thick bog of mist. He only hoped it wasn't some sort of ill omen or worse yet, dark magic, that pervaded their eventual doom.

"Let's move!" he ordered. He saw several tired eyes rear up at him but Sky shrugged them off. He was their leader. He had to see to their survival for as long as possible. Champions or not, they were still mortal and that means they could be killed. Sky would not have anyone die on his watch. He did not want to perish either but if it was his destiny to die in the coming battle then he hoped it was with his sword plunged into Darkar's chest. Right now all he cared about was putting that abomination to rest once and for all.

Turning, the prince brushed back his cape and made the dangerous climb down, deep into the heart of the Dragonmaw Mountains.

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The end? I don't know. I'm still mulling a lot of things over. I'm trying to take Zadien's advice and will try to focus on a couple of characters, possibly developing a story around them. This might take a while, but at least I got my fix for today. Thanks to all those who took the time to read…and review???


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